Vehicle direction indicator



Sept. l5, l 925.

M. G. BROWN I VEHICLE DIRECTION INDICATOR Sept. l5, 19,25.

' M. G. BROWN VEHICLE DIRECTION INDICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Hafen 1s, 192s 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 M G BROWN VEHICLE DIRECTION INDICATOR Filed March 13, 1923 Sept. 15, 1925.-

WzZMsJeS Patented Sept. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES MARSHALL G. BROWN, OF PHILADELPHIA, OHIO'.

VEHICLE DIRECTION INDICATOR.

Application filed March 13, 1923. Serial No. 624,707.

To all whom t may concer/n:

Be it known that I, MARSHALL G. BROWN, a citizen of the United Stat-es, residing at New Philadelphia., in the county of Tuscarawas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle Direction Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of my said invention resides in the provision of a direction indicator adapted for ready attachment to all types of motor vehicles wherein the intentions of the driver of the vehicle upon which the device is installed to make a right or left hand turn, or to bring his machine to a stop, etc., will be effectively indicated to the drivers of approaching vehicles in a novel and simple manner.

A further object of my invention is the provision of such an indicator that is comparatively simple of construction, the same embodying relatively few parts, and these so corelated as to reduce the liability of'derangement to a minimum.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better miderstood when the following detailed descrip-tion is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combinationfand arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this application, like numerals of Vreference indicate similar parts in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, and wherein Figure 1 is an end elevational View of an indicator constructed in accordance with my invent-ion.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view thereof, 'the cover plate of the casing being partly broken away for more clearly disposing the `internal mechanism of the indicator.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view of my device.

. Figure 4 is a longitudinal transverse cross sectional view, taken substantially upon the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is what may be termed a plan view of the several operating Ycables, em-

ployed in conjunction with this invention.`

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional view upon the line 6-'6 of Figure 3. Y

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view of the motor vehicle steering column, disclosing in conjunction therewith,l certain ones of Ithe ends ofthe operating cables employed in connection with my invention, and f Figure 7'EL is a view similar to Figure 5, but disclosing a Islightly modified form of operating cables.

Figure 8 is a viewk somewhat similar to Figure 7, showing in side elevation, the motor vehicle steering column, together with a housing supported thereon, which are arranged certain of the operating cables, forming a part of the invention, and

Figure 9 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of this casing, showing more clearly the operating cables therein. *Y

Referring to the drawings in detail, A designates a relatively elongated casing, the rear wall thereof being rounded as shown, and the front wall consisting of a removable metal plate 5, disposed within an open frame 6, which frame is 'secured as at 7 to the casing 5. This metal plate is formed with a central longitudinal opening vwithin which is positioned a glass panel 5, the edges of said opening being bent inwardly for pro viding a hood 6. One end ofthe casing is open, and hingedly secured at the points 7 to the 'said open frame 6 in a cover plate Sa adapted for normally closing said open end of the casing. Y

Upon the bottom wall of the casing A, extending longitudinally therewith, and appropriately securedv thereto is a strengthening strap 8, one end 9 of which is extended downwardly upon one end of the casing 5, and is formed with an outwardly bent U- shaped portion 10. Secured at one end to the central portion of said strap 8 is a rearwardly and upwardly extending arm 11,-

to the upper end of which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured at 12, one end of a bracket member 13, this bracket member adapted 'to be in turn secured at a convenient point upon the rear end of a motor vehicle such as the left hand fender thereof.

Extending longitudinally within the casing 5 is a stationary shaft 14, one end thereof extending through an opening in the said cover 8L and secured therein by a nut, as shown in Figures 2 and 4. The opposite end of the shaft extends through a relatively large opening in the closed end of the `casing and engages within an openingin the vertical wall of the U port-ion 10 of the strap 8, this being also secured within this opening ofthe said wall by a nut. The central portion of this shaft 14 is split to provide an upper and lower member 14fand 14., be-. tween which there is secured vas at 15,` the rear end of an outwardly Haring light=-rayv projecting hood 16.-.

Rotatable upon said stationary shaft 14 and within the, casing 5 is an indicating box 17, substantially hexagonal shape in cro-ss section, as more clearly shown in AFigure 3. rlhis box 17 constitutes end plates 18 and 19, respectively, which are integrally joined by spaced cross conne'ctingbars 20. The adjacent edges ofthese bars 20 are grooved Jfor receiving therebetween plates of glass 21.

The end wall 18 of the signal box 17, isf' 22, and adjacent end of the. stationary shaft 14 are surrounded by the said U-shaped portion 10 of the end 9 of the strap 8. Y

Five of the glass plates' 21 within the signal box 17 are formed with respectively, the words' Stop, Back up., Left,

Right, and Slow thereon, the sixth plate designated as 21 being formed ot opaque glass with a central insertion' 21 of `red glass for purposes hereinafter described.

Within theclosedl end of the light proj ect; ingjhood 16, there is positioned. .a lamp socket 26, for receiving an electric blubr 26. The'socket'26;isfprovided with a singl'elead in wire. 27, which has connection-'with cone tacts 28,- engaging througlrthe end wal`l`19 of said signal box 17. Thesecontacts-28l 'are-A insulated froin the respective'w'all ofthebox i as at 29, and by a review ofFiguresB and 4, it will be noted th'a-t'these` contacts-26 are in an annular row'upon the end wall of the signal box, each or" the'same'being positioned directly beneath'the cross connecting armsy 20 of said signal box;

Upon `the ladjacent end wall ofthel casing 5," and internally thereof-'is a Aspring contact' 30, whichcontact has electrical-connection* at 31 with 'a sourcelot' electric energy, which maybe, and lpreferably is,the usual storage battery of a motor vehicle:

The' end wall ofthe'casing adjacentthe said pulleys 23 and 24l has-secured'theretothe inner end of a T-shaped bracketarm- 32. Secured to the outer end of this T arm, through the instrumentality oan eye bolt 33,'is one end of a coiledspring'34, theL o-p'- posite end of said 'spring having connect-ion with a flexiblel cable 35. This cable r35 en-M gages aroundthe outermost pulley 24,. and is secured' thereto. EngagingA through an opening in 'the same end 'ofthe bracket arm'32'is a f1exible'wire35,one end thereof It is to'be noted that. these drums 23 and 24,.as well as the sleeve' being .co-nnectedatol the vinnermost-- pulley 23, through the medium of a cable' 35"wh1"ch is adapted-to be wound thereon. The opposite end offthisiwirei-Bi carries'a'zlink 36, to which is secured the ends of operating cables 36, 37, 38,439-and140g4respectively. These operating cables are engaged through spaced openings "41 within:VV the floor board A of the motor vehicle, and the outermost ones of 7. the cables 36 and 40 are respectively `lsecured' 75 to the brake and clutchpedalB and C of the vehicle. It .is preferable that .these"cabl`es.t 36 and 40 be resilientlyc secured to' the'said pedals of thevehicle,..throughj the' instru? mentality'V of coiledspring I"insertions 42.; 80 rEhe remaining '-three. cables 37,'l 38"and v39 extend forwardly ,and engagelthrough `open-Y` ings Within the'fo'ot boardDl of the vehicle,

and .thence 'over pulleys43' upon said `foot' board. These cables further extend through openings in a metallic bracket' 44, 'that issef cured tothe steering .column 'E'jfand arepro-A Y vided at theiren'dswithV pull rings'45. f

Rearwardly of theufloor. board `VA," eaclrof the cables. are provided "with abutments 46,90 the saine being spaced*I unequal:` `distances from said floor board',andorthe'purpose of limiting the pull upon :the respective cables.

The normalposit-ion of' the signalxbox 17 'I within the casing '5 is* as shown inli'gure t:95 3, and when in such a position,"the.unworded glass pane of' the signal box lwill be 'directed forwardly of the light projector 16.r This normal position` of' 'the signal yboxis main-- tained' through thefinstrumentality 'of the '100 cable 35'Y and vspring 34, andy insuclra position, the 'circuit` will be'made to' the bulb" 27 throughy theV 'properfonei of the'contact's 28 and the 'contact`30for providing a tail:Y light for the motor vehicle. i

Should thedriver ofk the"'veh'icle` upon which my device is installed apply"l either' the clutch or brake' pedal, it"will at oncebe understood that the respective cablefwill vbe pulled for'consequently bringing 'to view the 110 respective vpanel of "the signal;l "box 17 VVfor; indicating. either. a stop or `the slowingpf his machine. Vhen thisfsignal' box 17 isrotated forindicating suchV intentions, the cable 35 will be wou-nd thereon',"and as soon as a 115 pullis released upon. the operating jjcables, it will be noted 'that the' signaLbox'will be rotated in a reverse direction. for again bringing into view, lthe unworded glass plate of said signal bo-X,'and as 'aV means for limite 120 ing the reverse rotation ofthebox, the same' carries :an abutment;17.which` will strike against the said hood GLofthe removable' front wall 5 of the 'casing LA.`

The said cross-fstrapjS `secured .to thefbottom wall of the casing 5 may be; and'preif-v erably is, formed thereon withA a pendent bracket 8'," for thepurpose' of-securing a license plate'V 47 thereto. ForwardlyJof these brackets 8, the AbottoI1f1`-wallofthecasing'5 130 .is formed with a pendent hood 48, within the end of which is secured a panel or clear glass 49. Upon the said bottom wall of the casing 5, and within this hood 48 isa lamp socket 50, for receiving an incandescent bulb 51, the said socketO being electrically connected to the storage battery of a motor vehicle, the circuit being made and broken therebetween through the instrumentality of a desirable form of switch mounted in convenient reach of the driver of the vehicle, and it will at once be understood that the purpose of this construction is for providing an illuminating means for said license plate 47.

In Figures 7 a, 8 and 9, there is shown a slightly modified form of operating cables for the signal of my device. With reference to Figur@J 7a specifically, the before mentioned cable 35 which is secured at one end to the drum 24, upon the end of the shaft 14, and carries a ring 86 at its opposite end, has secured thereto, through the instrumentality of this ring, three cables designated at 36', 37, and 40. These cables extend rearwardly and engage through openings 41 within the said motor vehicle floor board A, the cables 36 and 40 being provided with abutments 46 forwardly of said floor boards A of a nature similar to the abutments 46 shown in Figure 5. These two mentioned cables are secured in a similar manner to the brake pedal B, and the clutch pedal C of the motor vehicle. rIhe cable 37 extends forwardly, and is engaged over a pulley 60, adjacent the lower end of the steering column E. Upon this steering column, there is secured through strap brackets 61, a tubular housing 62, the upper end thereof being flared or increased in diameter for forming what may be termed a head 63. The said cable 37 is disposed within this casing and has secured thereto at a point 64 adjacent its free end the cables 38 and 39. Each of these cables have positioned thereon similar abutments 46, arranged in spaced relation with each other, as clearly shown in Figure 9, for limiting the movement of these cables. Each of the cables extend outwardly through openings 64, within the said head 63 of the tubular casing 62, and are provided with ring pulleys 65.

IVhenever it becomes desirable to remove the signal box 17 from the casing A, the end nuts may be removed from the shaft 14, after which the cover wall 8'd may be swung open upon its hinges 7, which will permit of the ready removal of the box, it being of course understood that the before mentioned relatively large opening within the closed end of said casing is of such dimensions as to permit the passage therethrough'of the pulleys 23 and 24. Before removing thel said signal box from the casing, it is necessary that the ends of the cables 35 and 35 be re* moved from these pulleys.

In view of the above description, it is my belief that the advantages and operation of a direction indicator for vehicles constructed in accordance with my invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, and while I have herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the present in-` vention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:-

1. A vehicle direction indicator including a casing having the front wall and one end open, a metal plate removably connected to the front wall of the casing formed with a rearwardly projecting hood, at the margin of an opening therein, a transparent panel mounted in the opening of the plate, a cover member for the open end of the casing hingedly mounted on the metal plate, a stationary shaft removably mounted in the cover member, and the opposite end of the casing, said shaft having the central portion formed with a pair of spaced sections, a light projecting hood between the sections of said shaft, said light projecting hood cooperating with the hood on the metal plate, a signal member rotatable on the shaft having end` plates, and a plurality of signal elements carried circumferentially thereof, and being adapted for positioning between the hood in signalling position.

2. In combination, a rotatable signal including a shaft, a pair of drums on the shaft, a cable wound around one drum, a Spring at the end of the cable fixed to a suitable support, and a second cable wound about the other drum so that the same may be pulled 'for rotating the drum and the signal whereby the spring will be tensioned, so as to retrieve the signal to its normal positio-n.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

MARSHALL e. BROWN. 

